Lakers 107, Mavs 104 in OT: 'Dangerous'? Dirk Nowitzki Preaches Patience For Dallas

"It’s not really the time to panic in early December.'' - The iconic Dirk Nowitzki

DALLAS - The Dallas Mavericks currently find themselves battling to stay in the second tier in the Western Conference playoff picture, a battle that on Wednesday at the AAC resulted in a 107-104 OT loss to LeBron James' Los Angeles Lakers.

And yet ... Dirk Nowitzki recently offered a theme and a keyword for MFFL's ...

"Patience.''

And ...

"Dangerous.''

I think it’s always tough with your two best guys in and out of the lineup then of course our shooters haven’t been hot,'' Nowitzki said recently. "But the good thing is it’s early. It’s ... December, it’s still football season and not that many people pay attention yet, so hopefully we’ll get that squared away and keep working. 

"But it’s not really the time to panic in early December.''

Nowitzki - recently named one of the 75 best players in league history - conducted a global conference call this week on behalf of the NBA and its 75th Anniversary. Still involved with the Mavs as a special advisor to the team following a stellar 21-season career, he was central to the franchise's lone championship. winning the only championship in franchise history.

Said Dirk: “Even the championship year we went 2-7 in a stretch. To me, it’s time to give this new coach (Jason Kidd) and everybody time to work and get better and hopefully get healthy. I still think we have a dangerous team.”

The Mavs played the Lakers while missing Luka Doncic (knee), leaving Kristaps Porzingis (23 points, 12 rebounds) to carry the load (with help from Jalen Brunson's 25 points and Tim Hardaway Jr's 20). That fits another Nowitzki theme as he spoke on the team's injury issues.

“We haven’t really been healthy,” said Nowitzki. (And now Luka, after sitting out this game, is going to stay home from the weekend road trip as well). “I think it showed if one guy of our best two is out we struggle to compete on both ends, and sometimes we lose, unfortunately games we should win. But if we’re all healthy and KP and Luka are both playing, I think we’re a very good team.''

But for a botched defensive rebound in the closing seconds - KP and Maxi Kleber accidentally wrestling the ball out of each others' hands, leaving Wayne Ellington a successful chance for the desperation 3 that sent it to OT - the Mavs might've called themselves a "good team'' with the win.

Wayne Ellington ties the game! 🔥

Lakers and Mavs are headed to OT!pic.twitter.com/hpml5hLZN0

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) December 16, 2021

Instead, they dip back down to .500 at 14-14.

Nowitzki might be right; at the same time, the trade rumors are about to explode, as always. That's worth monitoring, as it relates to Porzingis and others. But Dirk's words are worth a lot as well.

Said Dirk. “There’s lots of basketball to be played still, so we’re hoping that we’re going to have a good run, but a good season always has ups and downs, so hopefully we’re over the worst and we can look forward and have a good run here going into the new year.”

A "good run'' almost happened here, as the close loss to the Lakers ends Dallas' two-game win streak. So instead? "Patience.''